Thicker Than Blood
by Eternal Love Song
Summary: Loki finds out about his adoption. Hela's there to comfort him. [Human AU]


This was the worst birthday he'd ever had. His face was stinging from where Odin had hit him, his eyes burning with tears, and his throat raw from the screaming match they'd had before that. Thor was banging on his door demanding to be let in, begging even, and downstairs Odin and Frigga were yelling.

Loki couldn't face his brother. Not now. Not after learning they weren't even really related. He also couldn't stand to sit there listening to his parents argue against the backdrop of Thor pounding against his door. It was too much and Loki just needed to get out.

He went to his window and climbed out. He'd perfected the art of sneaking out years ago, he could do it with his eyes closed. Fortunate, since his vision was still pretty blurry. His landing was less than graceful, but no one was around to see him if he decided to just give up and lay on the ground.

"You have a great entrance, bro."

Loki's head came up surprisingly fast, turning toward the voice he hadn't heard in a long time. Hela was leaning against the back door, cigarette in hand, arms crossed, and a duffel bag at her feet. She looked almost the same as she had when he'd last seen her. Long black hair and dark shadows under her eyes whose origin was a mystery between makeup or a lack of sleep. He had been too young to know the difference when he was younger and now it was too dark to tell. The porch light was out and the night sky afforded him little light.

"Hela," he said quietly.

She spared him a small smile. Despite the fact that Odin had seemed to do everything in his power to keep them apart, afraid that his oldest would be a bad influence on his youngest, Hela and Loki had always gotten along. She inclined her head toward the house and the yelling that could be heard within. "That for you?"

Loki nodded, looking down as he picked himself up off the ground.

Her smile widened. "I'm proud of you, kid. Someone has to keep things interesting while I'm away."

"I didn't want this!" He snapped, refusing to lift his eyes from the ground.

She looked at him for a long moment, taking another drag from her cigarette. "What did you want?"

"Answers."

Hela snorted. "You couldn't have pissed off the old man more if you spat in his face. Man loves his secrets more than he loves his wife." She flicked away the ashes of her cigarette. "He do that to your face?"

Loki's eyes widened and he reached out to touch his face without thinking. He winced. His face was sore and he could feel it starting to swell beneath his fingertips.

"Haven't seen it yet, have you?"

Loki looked away from her. "No, I have not."

She let the cigarette dangle between her lips as she crouched down to ruffle through her bag. She pulled out a bottle filled with dark liquid and tossed it to him. He caught it easily. "Hold that to your face," she said as she stood back up. "It's cold."

Loki only glanced at the bottle briefly. "Is this alcohol?"

"Of course," she answered. Hela had never been ashamed of her vices and she never tried to hide them. It was one of the things that drove Odin crazy and led to him sending her away. Loki had always admired her gall and learned from her behavior to be more sneaky with his own activities.

"Thanks," he said.

It was quiet for a few moments before she spoke. "So what did you do?" She finally asked. "What did you question the almighty Odin about?"

Loki knew he couldn't have faced Thor about this in a million years. Hela was different. As much as he loved her, as close as they were, they were also like strangers. They'd been vigorously kept apart, maybe that was what made it easier to speak. "I'm adopted." He said it quietly, but his voice didn't shake or stutter.

"Shit," She crawled with mild surprise. "Lucky."

Loki couldn't stop himself from looking straight at her. "What?"

"You don't have any of that bastard's blood in your veins."

Loki didn't know what to say to that at first. He lowered the bottle from his face, gripping it in his hands. "But... It means that you're not my sister."

"Shut your mouth," Hela scolded, flinging her cigarette at him. Loki sidestepped it easily. "You're not my baby brother because Odin told me so. I chose to accept you. You can look at how I treat Thor if you doubt me."

It was true that she'd never been close to Thor like she was to Loki. In fact, Thor was often terrified of Hela and couldn't understand how Loki could be so close to her. She had often been dismissive of Thor and Loki had never understood why.

She pulled another pack of cigarettes out of her pocket, lighting one and taking a long drag before speaking. "I'm not Frigga's daughter." She told him.

"What?"

"Yep." She popped the sound on the 'p' and her eyes focused on something in the distance. "Bastard had an affair after he married her, decided to keep me. Bet he regrets that decision."

Loki was stunned to hear this. He licked his lips nervously and took a step closer to her. "How did you find out?"

"By being a nosy little shit," she answered. "What? You think they'd tell me something like that? As if."

"Where you upset?" Loki asked.

"I was pissed, mostly at Odin. He wouldn't know the truth if it bit him on the ass." She took another deep drag on her cigarette. "This way, I can pretend we have the same mother. I don't know who she was or anything. My theory is sound."

Loki smiled and moved to her side. "I like that theory."

Hela ruffled his hair and pushed him away. "Don't stand so close, kid, I'll give you cancer."

"I don't mind," Loki said as he leaned against her.

Hela wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "I love you, Loki. Never doubt that."

Loki was silent for a moment before he replied. "I wont." He said softly.

Hela pulled him into a one-armed hug. "Better not."


End file.
